Cloud network implementation for a distributed antenna system control plane

ABSTRACT

Cloud network implementations for a distributed antenna system (DAS) control plane are provided. In one embodiment, a DAS architecture comprises: a DAS cloud computing network; a first DAS comprising a first user plane, wherein the first user plane includes uplink circuity and downlink circuity, wherein the uplink circuity forwards uplink radio frequency traffic from at least one remote antenna unit to a master unit, wherein the downlink circuity forwards downlink radio frequency traffic from the master unit to the at least one remote antenna unit; wherein the DAS cloud computing network comprises a control plane in communication with the user plane through a network; the first user plane comprises a high level protocol interface abstraction layer coupled to the network and processes and forwards the uplink and downlink radio frequency traffic based on configuration commands received from the control plane via the high level protocol interface abstraction layer.

CROSS-REFERENT TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. patent application claims priority to, and the benefit of,U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/622,714, titled “CLOUDNETWORK IMPLEMENTATION FOR A DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEM CONTROL PLANE”filed on Jan. 26, 2018, and which is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND

A Distributed Antenna System (DAS) typically includes at least onemaster unit that is communicatively coupled with a plurality of remoteantenna units. Each remote antenna unit can be coupled directly to themaster unit or indirectly via one or more other remote antenna unitsand/or via one or more intermediary or expansion units. A DAS istypically used to improve the coverage provided by one or more basestations that are coupled to the master unit. These base stations can becoupled to the master unit via one or more cables or via a wirelessconnection, for example, using one or more donor antennas. In someimplementations, a DAS may comprise more than one such master unit, forexample to address redundancy concerns. The wireless service provided bythe base stations can included commercial cellular service and/or publicsafety wireless communications.

A DAS is typically controlled by various software applications executedby a DAS controller which is implemented within a master unit of theDAS. For example, the master unit may comprise rack mounted controllerhardware that includes a processor that executes the various functionsof the DAS controller. In some systems, the DAS controller may beimplemented by electronic components and processors located directly onthe backplane of the DAS master unit. Functions performed by the DAScontroller typically includes applications for managing aspects ofcontrolling the DAS such as, but not limited to, hardware population,cabling, managing software updates, managing and maintaining a databaseof DAS hardware configuration, uplink and downlink RF componentconfigurations, and overall system configuration, leveling of uplink anddownlink RF signals, hardware diagnostics, generating and distributingalarms, and maintaining a log of alarms in a database on the DAScontroller. The DAS controller typically also includes an SNMP interfaceproviding operations and maintenance (O&M) access to the systemoperators, and may include a server providing a Web page interface foradministration of the DAS. In short, the DAS controller implements thelogic for controlling the signal processing and forwarding behavior ofRF traffic through the DAS between the one or more base stations anduser devices which are in wireless communication with the plurality ofremote antenna units. This logic may be referred to as the DAS “controlplane.” In contrast, the DAS “user plane” provides the transportplatform that forwards the RF traffic through the DAS according to thedirections provided to the DAS user plane by the DAS control plane.

In that art today, both the control plane and user plane comprisehardware specific software that utilizes low level software thatdirectly interfaces with the DAS hardware electronics, such a memories,registers, interrupts, and the like. This hardware specific softwarewould be supplied by the DAS developer and provided to the operator atthe time the DAS hardware is installed. As a result, atelecommunications system operator that owns and operates multiple DASinstallations, not only needs to access each DAS installation separatelyto make updates, reconfigurations, or respond to alarm messages, butthey also need maintain familiarity with the software and userinterfaces associated with each installation. Moreover, scalability ofthe control plane at each DAS installation is limited by processingresources present and available for the DAS controller on the DAShardware, thus potentially limiting the ability of a DAS operator toimplement new protocols and standards and/or address increasing RFtraffic demands.

For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below whichwill become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading andunderstanding the specification, there is a need in the art for cloudnetwork implementation for a distributed antenna system control plane.

SUMMARY

The Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for cloud networkimplementation for a distributed antenna system control plane and willbe understood by reading and studying the following specification.

In one embodiment, a DAS architecture comprises: a DAS cloud computingnetwork; a first distributed antenna system comprising at least a firstuser plane, wherein the first user plane includes uplink circuity anddownlink circuity, wherein the uplink circuity forwards uplink radiofrequency traffic from at least one remote antenna unit of the firstdistributed antenna system to at least one master unit of the firstdistributed antenna system, wherein the downlink circuity forwardsdownlink radio frequency traffic from the least one master unit to theat least one remote antenna unit; wherein the DAS cloud computingnetwork comprises a control plane in communication with the first userplane of the first distributed antenna system through a network; whereinthe first user plane comprises a high level protocol interfaceabstraction layer coupled to the network and processes and forwards theuplink and downlink radio frequency traffic based on configurationcommands received from the control plane via the high level protocolinterface abstraction layer.

DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present disclosure can be more easily understood andfurther advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, whenconsidered in view of the description of the preferred embodiments andthe following figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example DAS architecture for oneembodiment of the present disclosure having a control and user planesare separated.

FIGS. 2, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E are block diagrams illustratingcomponents of an example DAS installation of one embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another example DAS architecture forone embodiment of the present disclosure having control and user planesseparated.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating another example DAS architecture forone embodiment of the present disclosure having control and user planesseparated.

In accordance with common practice, the various described features arenot drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize features relevant to thepresent disclosure. Reference characters denote like elements throughoutfigures and text.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown byway of specific illustrative embodiments in which the embodiments may bepracticed. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments, and it isto be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and thatlogical, mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departingfrom the scope of the present disclosure. The following detaileddescription is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

Embodiments of the present disclosure address limitations of DAScontrollers in the art today through the separation of DAS control anduser planes by the introduction of high level hardware access protocolinterface and by off-boarding the DAS control plane functionality fromthe local DAS hardware and implementing the DAS controller either asvirtual machine (VM) executed in a cloud network or as DAS applicationsoffered as a cloud service by the cloud network. In some embodiments, aninterface between the control plane and user plane is achieved usinghigh level command and response protocols that are non-hardwarespecific. That is, the interface between the control and the user planeprovides high level description of data and commands to control the userplane and exchange information. The user plane processes and forwardsuplink and downlink radio frequency traffic based on configurationmessages received from a control plane. The interface between furtherprovides an abstraction from the underlying hardware so that the DAScontroller does not require any detailed knowledge of the hardware to beconfigured and controlled, thus avoiding the need for the DAS controllerto utilize low level hardware command sequences to communicateinstructions to the user plane. Moreover, with such an abstraction,digital as well as analog user plane hardware can be used transparentlyvia the high level protocol interface.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a DAS architecture 100 for oneembodiment of the present disclosure where the DAS controller and userplanes are separated. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a user plane 110 isimplemented in DAS hardware 112 by executing hardware specific userplane applications 114 that process and transport RF communicationtraffic between one or more wireless network base stations 102 (shown ascommunication traffic 103) and user equipment 104 (shown ascommunication traffic 105). As further discussed below, the user planeapplications 114 may be executed by controllers in DAS master units,remote antenna units, extension and/or expansion units, or somecombination thereof. Rather than also being implemented in DAS hardware112, the control plane 120 is implemented virtually in by a DAS cloudcomputing network 122 (referred to herein as a “DAS cloud” 122) in orderto realize the DAS controller 124. That is, one or more network nodes ofthe DAS cloud 122 may comprise processors that execute the functionsdescribed herein of the control plane 122 and DAS controller 124.Moreover, the storage for persistent system level data (previouslymaintained on DAS hardware 112) may also be separated into the DAS cloud122 and maintained on a data plane 130 (for example, a shared database)on DAS cloud 122 that is accessible from the DAS controller 124 via adefined data access protocol. In some embodiments, the data plane 130 isalso separate from the DAS controller 124 within DAS cloud 112, to allowfor moving database tables to dedicated machines (either real or virtualmachines) and thus further improve performance and scalability.Additionally, databases can be shared between DAS cloud 112 componentssuch as, but not limited to, Network Configuration Services, O&Mservices, the DAS Controller and the WWW Backend Server which avoidsredundancies in data and further speeds up the data access.

As shown in FIG. 1, the user plane 110 implemented in DAS hardware 112,and the DAS controller 124 implemented in DAS cloud 122 arecommunicatively coupled via a network 140 (which may comprise anInternet Protocol (IP) network such as the Internet, for example). Inone embodiment, the user plane 110 includes a high level command andresponse protocol interface 142 (referred to herein as “high levelprotocol interface”) through which the DAS controller 124 communicatesto the user plane 110. High level protocol interface 142 provides anabstraction layer through which the DAS controller 124 can sendnon-hardware specific commands and data in order to configure operationof the user plane 110. The high level protocol interface 142, incontrast, can communicate with the components of DAS hardware 112,either directly or indirectly, to configure the DAS hardware 112 tooperate as directed by the DAS controller 124. For example, the DAScontroller 124 may send a command to the user plane 110 via high levelprotocol interface 142 to vary the transmit power of a first cellularband, designated RF band #1 for example. In doing so, the DAS controller124 may simply pass to the high level protocol interface 142 thedesignated band “RF band #1” and the desired transmit power, without theneed for any underlying knowledge about which hardware registers,amplifiers, processors, etc. of DAS hardware 112 handle the processingof RF band #1. Instead, the high level protocol interface 142 interpretssuch instructions into DAS hardware 112 specific instructions in orderto carry out the high-level commands received form the DAS controller124. In the same way, hardware level alarms or messages generated by theDAS hardware 112 may be received by the high level protocol interface142 and translated to a high-level alarm notification to the DAScontroller 124 over network 140.

In some embodiments, the DAS cloud 122 may further comprise servers ornetwork nodes. In one embodiment, the network nodes may compriseprocessors that implement network configuration services 145, aninternet World Wide Web (WWW) backend server 143, a northbound interface(NBI) to operations and maintenance service 144, or both, with which theDAS operator may interact with, and control, any aspect of the controlplane 120 and/or data plane 130. Such a configuration supports theprovision of user interfaces according to the Model View Controller(MVC) software architecture pattern which allows for clear separationbetween of the Web Front End (Client) and Web Backend.

It should be understood that architecture 100 may be expanded in otherembodiments to include multiple user plane entities which are managed bya control plane 120 from the DAS cloud 122. That is, one or moreadditional instances of user plane entities, which may be operatedeither in conjunction with DAS hardware 112 or completely independentfrom DAS hardware 112, may be managed and operated using architecture100. For example, in FIG. 1, one or more additional user planes 152 maybe communicatively coupled to the DAS cloud 122 via network 140 andoperated in the same manner as described above regarding user plane 110.In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the additional user planes 152 may beexecuted by DAS hardware 150 which is separate and independent from DAShardware 112. However, in other embodiments, one or more of theadditional user planes 152 may also be executed by DAS hardware 112.Each of the additional user planes 152 comprises a high level commandand response protocol interface 154 and may be communicatively coupledto the DAS cloud 122 via network 140 and operated in the same manner asdescribed above regarding DAS hardware 112 and user plane 110. In thisway, multiple DAS installations may be managed by an operator via theDAS cloud 122 without the need to connect to and utilize hardwarespecific software for each installation. Moreover, in some embodiments,the storage for persistent system level data for DAS hardware 112 andDAS hardware 150 (and/or any other DAS installations) is maintainedtogether on data plane 130, thus providing a database that comprises ashared set of tables for all pertinent information relevant to theoperator's communication system.

The separation of the control and user planes of a DAS as illustrated byDAS architecture 100 supports scalability with respect to increasing RFcommunications traffic between BTS and user devices by enabling the DASoperator to add user plane nodes without changing the number ofcontrollers in the network. Other benefits include a clear control andO&M interface between control plane and user plane, the flexibility tolocate and scale the control plane and control plane resourcesindependent of the processing resources available at the DAS, andindependent evolution and development of the control plane and userplane functions. In some embodiments, the control plane implemented inthe DAS cloud can be technology agnostic and control analog as well asdigital user planes, and used in conjunction with multiple user planeentities. Moreover, certain functions of a DAS control plane are rarelyused, or may even just be used once at the time of DAS commissioning.With such functions implemented by software executed in the DAS cloud, asingle installation of the software can be shared by multiple user planeentities.

As mentioned above, in alternative embodiments, a DAS controller 124 maybe realized either by establishing one or more DAS controller virtualmachines in DAS cloud 122, or by directly providing DAS applicationsassociated with DAS controller functions as services available from DAScloud 122. It should be understood that the virtualized DAS Controllersand Cloud Services, and network nodes, servers, gateways, and/or othercomponents comprising the DAS cloud 122 may be executed from a datacenter of a DAS operator and/or any other cloud service provider. Infact, the physical location of the control plane/DAS Controller is nolonger relevant as only the user plane 110 and RF components comprisingthe DAS hardware 112 need to be located at the DAS site. DAS cloud 122resources can be allocated on demand and expenses incurred from runningthe DAS Controller, System Configuration, and Network Element ManagementFunctions, for example, can be tailored to the needs of the systemoperator.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example DAS 200 (also referredto herein as a DAS installation) of one embodiment of the presentdisclosure. DAS 200 comprises one or more master units 210 that arecommunicatively coupled to one or more remote antenna units 212 via oneor more communication links 214. In various different embodiments, thecommunication links 214 may comprise wireless communication links,cables (i.e. wired communication links), or some combination thereof. Asused herein, the term cable is used generically and may refer to eitherelectrical or fiber optic cables, or hybrid cables comprising bothelectrical conductors and optical fibers. It should be understood thatDAS 200 may provide wireless telecommunication services to a building,plant, campus, transportation hub, tunnel, or any other type offacility. In some embodiments, the communication links 214 discussedherein may each operate bidirectionally with downlink and uplinkcommunications carried over the link. It should also be understood,however, that in other embodiments, a communication link 214 may itselffurther comprise a pair of links including, for example, an uplink cablefor uplink communication, and a downlink cable for downlinkcommunication. Each remote antenna unit 212 can be communicativelycoupled directly to one or more of the master units 210 or indirectlyvia one or more other remote antenna units 212 and/or via one or moreintermediary or expansion units 213. In some embodiments, DAS 200 mayfurther include one or more extension units 215 that are communicativelycoupled to a remote antenna unit 212 to further extend coverage. Asillustrated in FIG. 2, with embodiments of the present disclosure thecontrol plane 120 is separated from user plane 110 by implementing thecontrol plane 120 as a DAS controller on a separate machine (as shown at216) and/or in a virtualized environment or in the cloud as discussed ingreater detail below. Regardless of where or how the functions of a DAScontroller 216 are specifically implemented, control plane 120 functionsfor the DAS 200 are executed on a platform separate from the DAS 200hardware and their associated services provided to each of the MasterUnit 210, Remote Antenna Units 212, and Expansion Units 213 andExtension Units 215 (when present) via the high level protocol interface142.

Each master unit 210 is communicatively coupled to one or more basestations 102 (such as the wireless network base stations 102 describedin FIG. 1). In some embodiments, one or more of the base stations 102can be co-located with the respective master units 210 to which it iscoupled (for example, where the base station 102 is dedicated toproviding base station capacity to the DAS 200 and is coupled to therespective master units 210). Also, one or more of the base stations 102can be located remotely from the respective master units 210 to which itis coupled (for example, where the base station 102 provides basestation capacity to an area beyond the coverage area of the DAS 200). Inthis latter case, the master unit 210 can be coupled to a donor antennaand repeater or bi-directional amplifier in order to wirelesslycommunicate with the remotely located base station 102.

In this exemplary embodiment, the base stations 102 include one or morebase stations that are used to provide public and/or private safetywireless services (for example, wireless communications used byemergency services organizations (such as police, fire and emergencymedical services) to prevent or respond to incidents that harm orendanger persons or property. Such base stations are also referred tohere as “safety wireless service base stations” or “safety basestations.” The base stations 102 also can include, in addition to safetybase stations, one or more base stations that are used to providecommercial cellular wireless service. Such base stations are alsoreferred to here as “commercial wireless service base stations” or“commercial base stations.”

The base stations 102 can be coupled to the master units 210 using anetwork of attenuators, combiners, splitters, amplifiers, filters,cross-connects, etc., (sometimes referred to collectively as a“point-of-interface” or “POI”). This network can be included in themaster units 210 and/or can be separate from the master units 210. Thisis done so that, in the downlink, the desired set of RF channels outputby the base stations 102 can be extracted, combined, and routed to theappropriate master units 210, and so that, in the upstream, the desiredset of carriers output by the master units 210 can be extracted,combined, and routed to the appropriate interface of each base station102. It is to be understood, however, that this is one example and thatother embodiments can be implemented in other ways.

As shown in FIG. 2A, in general, each master unit 210 comprises downlinkDAS circuitry 211, uplink DAS circuitry 224 and a controller 230 (thattogether comprise a segment of the DAS hardware 112) and hardwarespecific applications 114 that execute on the controller 230 (forexample to implement the high level protocol interface 142). Theseelements together define the user plane 110 within the master unit 210that processes and transports RF communications traffic 103 and 105between the one or more wireless network base stations 102 and userequipment 104. Control plane services for the DAS 200 are separated fromthe master unit 210 and implemented elsewhere, such as by DAS controller216 described below. High level protocol interface 142 provides thenecessary connectivity between master unit 210 and systems implementingthe control plane services.

Downlink DAS circuitry 211 is configured to receive one or more downlinksignals from one or more base stations 102. These signals are alsoreferred to here as “base station downlink signals.” Each base stationdownlink signal includes one or more radio frequency channels used forcommunicating in the downlink direction with user equipment 104 (such astablets or cellular telephone, for example) over the relevant wirelessair interface. Typically, each base station downlink signal is receivedas an analog radio frequency signal, though in some embodiments one ormore of the base station signals are received in a digital form (forexample, in a digital baseband form complying with the Common PublicRadio Interface (“CPRI”) protocol, Open Radio Equipment Interface(“ORP”) protocol, the Open Base Station Standard Initiative (“OBSAI”)protocol, or other protocol). The downlink DAS circuitry 211 in eachmaster unit 210 is also configured to generate one or more downlinktransport signals derived from one or more base station downlink signalsand to transmit one or more downlink transport signals to one or more ofthe remote antenna units 212. Each master unit 210 also comprises theuplink DAS circuitry 224 that is configured to receive the respectiveuplink transport signals transmitted to it from one or more remoteantenna units 212 and to use the received uplink transport signals togenerate one or more base station uplink radio frequency signals thatare provided to the one or more base stations 102. Typically, thisinvolves, among other things, combining or summing uplink signalsreceived from multiple remote antenna units 212 in order to produce thebase station signal provided to each base station 102. Each base stationuplink signal includes one or more of the uplink radio frequencychannels used for communicating with user equipment 104 over thewireless air interface. In this way, the DAS 200 increases the coveragearea for the uplink capacity provided by the base stations 102.

As shown in FIG. 2B, each remote antenna unit 212, in general, comprisesdownlink DAS circuitry 218, uplink DAS circuitry 221 and a controller230 (that together comprise a segment of the DAS hardware 112) andhardware specific applications 114 that execute on the controller 230(for example to implement the high level protocol interface 142).Downlink DAS circuitry 218 is configured to receive the downlinktransport signals transmitted to it from one or more master units 210and to use the received downlink transport signals to generate one ormore downlink radio frequency signals that are radiated from one or moreantennas 219 associated with that remote antenna unit 212 for receptionby user equipment 104. These downlink radio frequency signals are analogradio frequency signals and are also referred to here as “remotedownlink radio frequency signals.” Each remote downlink radio frequencysignal includes one or more of the downlink radio frequency channelsused for communicating with user equipment 104 over the wireless airinterface.

Also, each remote antenna unit 212 comprises uplink DAS circuitry 221that is configured to receive via antenna(s) 219 one or more uplinkradio frequency signals transmitted from the user equipment 104. Thesesignals are analog radio frequency signals and are also referred to hereas “remote uplink radio frequency signals.” Each uplink radio frequencysignal includes one or more radio frequency channels used forcommunicating in the uplink direction with user equipment 104 over therelevant wireless air interface. The uplink DAS circuitry 221 in eachremote antenna unit 212 is also configured to generate one or moreuplink transport signals derived from the one or more remote uplinkradio frequency signals and to transmit one or more uplink transportsignals to one or more of the master units 210.

As shown in FIG. 2C, each expansion unit 213, in general, comprisesdownlink DAS circuitry 226, uplink DAS circuitry 228 and a controller230 (that together comprise a segment of the DAS hardware 112) andhardware specific applications 114 that execute on the controller 230(for example to implement the high level protocol interface 142).Downlink DAS circuitry 226 that is configured to receive the downlinktransport signals transmitted to it from the master unit 210 (or otherexpansion unit 213) and transmits the downlink transport signals to oneor more remote antenna units 212 or other downstream intermediary units213. Each expansion unit 213 comprises uplink DAS circuitry 228 that isconfigured to receive the respective uplink transport signalstransmitted to it from one or more remote antenna units 212 or otherdownstream intermediary units 213, combine or sum the received uplinktransport signals, and transmit the combined uplink transport signalsupstream to the master unit 210 or other expansion unit 213. In someembodiments, one or more remote antenna units 212 may be coupled to theone or more master units 210 via one or more other remote antenna units212 (for examples, where the remote antenna units 212 are coupledtogether in a daisy chain or ring topology). In such embodiments, anexpansion unit 213 may be implemented using a remote antenna units 212.

As shown in FIG. 2D, each extension unit 215, in general, comprisesdownlink DAS circuitry 238, uplink DAS circuitry 231 and a controller230 (that together comprise a segment of the DAS hardware 112) andhardware specific applications 114 that execute on the controller 230(for example to implement the high level protocol interface 142).Downlink DAS circuitry 238 is configured to receive the downlinktransport signals transmitted to it from a remote antenna unit 212 andto use the received downlink transport signals to generate one or moredownlink radio frequency signals that are radiated from one or moreantennas 219 associated with that extension unit 215 for reception byuser equipment 104. Each downlink radio frequency signal includes one ormore of the downlink radio frequency channels used for communicatingwith user equipment 104 over the wireless air interface. In this way,the DAS 200 may even further increase the coverage area and/or capacityfor the downlink capacity provided by the base stations 102. Eachextension unit 215 may further comprise uplink DAS circuitry 231 that isconfigured to receive via antenna(s) 219 one or more uplink radiofrequency signals transmitted from the user equipment 104. These signalsare analog radio frequency signals and are also referred to here as“uplink radio frequency signals.” Each uplink radio frequency signalincludes one or more radio frequency channels used for communicating inthe uplink direction with user equipment 104 over the relevant wirelessair interface. The uplink DAS circuitry 231 in each extension unit 215may also be configured to generate one or more uplink transport signalsderived from the one or more remote uplink radio frequency signals andto transmit one or more uplink transport signals to the remote antennaunit 212 to which it is coupled. In some embodiments, the uplink DAScircuitry 221 in a remote antenna unit 212 may be further configured toreceive the respective uplink transport signals transmitted to it froman extension unit 215 and to use the received uplink transport signalsto generate uplink radio frequency signals that are provided to themaster unit 210.

As shown in FIG. 2E, in one embodiment, a DAS Controller 216, in generalmay comprise a controller 232 that executes the DAS Control PlaneServices 240 to realize the control plane function for DAS 200 either ona separate machine, in a virtualized environment or in the cloud.Moreover, the high level protocol interface 142 in the DAS Controller216 provides the necessary connectivity between DAS Controller 216 andthe DAS 200 user plane functions that are executed on the various DAS200 hardware components. In one embodiment, the DAS Controller 216 maycomprise a modem 235 in order to communicatively couple DAS Controller216 to network 140.

The downlink DAS circuitry 211, 218, 226, and 238 and uplink DAScircuitry 224, 221, 228 and 231 in each master unit 210, remote antennaunit 212, expansion unit 213, and extension unit 215, respectively, cancomprise one or more appropriate connectors, attenuators, combiners,splitters, amplifiers, filters, duplexers, analog-to-digital converters,digital-to-analog converters, mixers, field-programmable gate arrays(FPGAs), microprocessors, transceivers, framers, etc., to implement thefeatures described above. Also, the downlink DAS circuitry 211, 218,226, and 238 and uplink DAS circuitry 224, 221, 228 and 231 may sharecommon circuitry and/or components. For example, some components (suchas duplexers) by their nature are shared among the downlink DAScircuitry 211, 218, 226, and 238 and uplink DAS circuitry 224, 221, 228and 231.

The DAS 200 can use either digital transport, analog transport, orcombinations of digital and analog transport for generating andcommunicating the transport signals between the base station 102, themaster units 210, the remote antenna units 212, and any expansion units213. For the purposes of illustration, some of the embodiments describedhere are implemented using analog transport over optical cables.However, it is to be understood that other embodiments can beimplemented in other ways, for example, in DASs that use other types ofanalog transport (for example, using other types of cable and/or usinganalog transport that makes use of frequency shifting), digitaltransport (for example, where digital samples indicative of the analogbase station radio frequency signals and analog remote radio frequencysignals are generated and communicated between the master units 210 andthe remote antenna units 212), or combinations of analog and digitaltransport.

Each unit 210, 212, 213, 215 in the DAS 200 can also comprise arespective controller 230, which as discussed above, executes thehardware specific user plane applications 114 and high level protocolinterface 142 for the user plane 110 implemented within that particularunit. The controller 230 is implemented using one or more programmableprocessors and memory hardware that execute software that is configuredto implement the various features described here as being implemented bythe controller 230. The controller 230, the various features describedhere as being implemented by the controller 230, or portions thereof,can be implemented in other ways (for example, in a field programmablegate array (FPGA), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC),etc.). The master unit 210 may comprise a modem 235 communicativelycoupled to network 140. In one embodiment, each unit 210, 212, 213, 215in the DAS 200 is also configured to send and receive management andcontrol data with control plane 120 via a high level protocolimplemented by the high level protocol interface 142.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example embodiment of a DAS architecture 300providing an example implementation of the DAS architecture 100discussed with respect to FIG. 1. In the embodiment DAS architecture 300one or more DAS Controllers are implemented as DAS Controller VirtualMachine(s) 320 within DAS cloud 120. In this embodiment, the web backendis realized using a Web Backend Virtual Machine (VM) 342 (i.e., a webserver) and the data plane 130 is realized using a Data Base VirtualMachine (VM) 333 which comprises the shared database 330. Communicationbetween the DAS Controller Virtual Machine(s) 320, the Web BackendVirtual Machine 342, and the Shared Database 330 may be implemented by aMessage and Data Bus 322, through which every functional entity of DAScloud 122 can access data and send commands to any other entity coupledto bus 322. In various embodiments, the Message and Data Bus 322 may beimplemented, for example, using ethernet or any other type ofcommunications technology.

As shown in FIG. 3, DAS architecture 300 may include multiple user planeentities (shown at 310) communicatively coupled to DAS cloud 120 via acommunications network 140. Each of the user plane entities 310 maycomprise a user plane 110 such as shown in FIG. 1 and correspond to theuser plane of a DAS as shown in FIG. 2. In some embodiments,communications between the DAS Controller Virtual Machines 320 and theuser planes 310 may be based on IP protocols and/or secured by VPNtunnels and/or firewalls. In some embodiments, DAS cloud 120 furthercomprises a virtual Ethernet switch 324 that switches Ethernet packetsbetween the user plane entities 310 and the DAS Controller VirtualMachine 320 with which they are associated. There may exist a one-to-onecorrespondence between one of the DAS Controller Virtual Machines 320and a respective one of the user planes 310. However, in otherembodiments that need not be the case. For example, any one of the DASController Virtual Machines 320 may work in conjunction with two or moreof the user planes 310. Similarly, any one of the user planes 310 may besubdivided into a multiple logical user planes each associated with aseparate one of the DAS Controller Virtual Machines 220. As shown in theembodiment of FIG. 3, the DAS architecture 300 may further comprise aSystem Configuration Virtual Machine 330, and a Network ElementManagement Virtual Machine 332, each implemented by DAS cloud 120 andcoupled to Message and Data Bus 322.

Integration of the DAS Controller functionality and sharing of DASsystem data in DAS cloud 120 with the System Configuration VirtualMachine 330 and Network Element Management Virtual Machine 332 may beachieved by sharing common data stored in the shared database 330 and/orby using the same web backend 342 and a web frontend 344 (i.e., a WWWclient) for user access. In some embodiments, the web frontend client244 may be executed by a human interface device integrated into a serveror other node coupled to DAS cloud 120.

System Configuration Virtual Machine 330 executes one or moreapplications which may be used to configure operation of various aspectsof the DAS cloud 120. For example, in one embodiment, the SystemConfiguration Virtual Machine 330 executes applications that managefunctions such as, but not limited to: RF Network Planning, RF OutputPower Management, Optical Transport Capacity Management, ServiceDistribution Configuration, Hardware Configuration & bill-of-material(BOM), Inventory, and DAS Cloud user rights management. In someembodiments, the Network Element Management Virtual Machine 332 providesthe interface to the proprietary operations and maintenance services 144for the network operator to control their DAS installations (for examplevia a northbound interface (NBI) to operations and maintenance service).The Network Element Management Virtual Machine 332 may execute one ormore applications to provide functions such as, but not limited to:Fault Management (which may include generating, distributing and loggingactive alarms, alarm history, remedy, acknowledgement, etc.),Configuration Management (which may include hardware and RF electronicsconnectivity and alarm parameter changes, for example), InventoryManagement (which may include an inventory of DAS hardware and softwarecomponents and change history), Performance Management (which mayinclude Alarm Statistics, hardware and RF component data graphs, etc.),User Management (which may include role and rights administration ofuser accounts for the system operator), Security Management (which mayinclude VPN management, NE Base Image updates, control ofsoftware/application inventory), and or application or script processingfor automation of routine tasks (such as software distribution andactivation, NE backup, managing bulk configuration changes, etc.).

As there are common functionalities performed by the SystemConfiguration Virtual Machine 330 and a Network Element ManagementVirtual Machine 332, with embodiments of the present disclosure, storageof the database tables used by both system in the common data plane 130with common access to shared database 330 ensures the data consistencybetween the applications, (either on the same virtual machine or ondifferent virtual machines) and ensures that updates to data made by onevirtual machine is immediately available to the other. In someembodiments, the same access to the shared database 330 may beselectively afforded to any component coupled to Message and Data Bus322.

As mentioned above, access to the common data stored in the shareddatabase 330 may also be obtained via a WWW webpage server implementedby web backend 342 and accessed by a web frontend client (or web clientuser interface) 344. Web client user interface 344 thus provides acommon user interface and single access point for a user to manage theoperation and configuration of any user plane entity 310. In oneembodiment, the web backend 242 may serve web pages associated with eachof various DAS applications provided by the virtual machines implementedin the DAS cloud 122 (for example, DAS Controller VMs 320, NetworkElement Management System VM 332, and/or System Configuration VM 330) tothe web frontend client 344. In one embodiment, the web backend VM 342may interface with each of the respective DAS applications via a definedApplication Programming Interface (API) (for example, using aRepresentational state transfer API, or JavaScript Object Notation basedmessaging) to request information and trigger commands and forwards theresults to the web frontend client 344. For certain operations the webbackend VM 342 may also have direct access to the shared database 330rather than depend on access via the virtual machines. In someembodiments, different roles in DAS Commissioning and Operation as wellas access control may be handled via user management from the commonuser interface provided by the web frontend client 344.

The virtualization of the control plane 120 functions for execution bythe DAS cloud 122 saves costs over the need to provide dedicated DAScontrollers locally at each DAS installation, and provides theflexibility that one controller can essentially be used to replacemultiple traditional DAS control planes. Scalability for a DAScontroller 320 in DAS architecture 300 is also obtained through theability to simply allocate additional processing resources from withinthe DAS Cloud 122 (for example, additional or more powerful processingunits, memory, disk space, etc.) to the virtual machine 320 thatexecutes that respective DAS controller.

As mentioned above, in alternative embodiments, a DAS controller 124 maybe realized either by establishing one or more DAS controller virtualmachines in DAS cloud 122, or by directly providing DAS applicationsassociated with DAS controller functions as services available from DAScloud 122.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a DAS architecture 400for another example implementation of the DAS architecture 100. In DASarchitecture 400, the DAS applications associated with the DAScontrollers, System Configuration, and Network Element Managementfunctions discussed above are directly provided as services availablefrom applications executed by the DAS cloud 122. That is, thevirtualized applications discussed in DAS architecture 400 are broken upinto single functions that are grouped into separate cloud services 410,412 and 414. Each of the cloud services are in turn implemented by theexecution of particular applications by processors on nodes of DAS cloud122. In the particular implementation shown in FIG. 4, the separatecloud services provided by DAS cloud 122 are grouped into NetworkPlanning and Configuration Services 410 (which may include applicationsthat execute functions such as RF Planning, BOM Creation, OpticalTransport Configuration, for example), DAS Control Plane Services 412(which may include applications that execute functions use at the time aDAS is commissioned, such as hardware population, cabling, leveling,service configuration, for example) and Operation and MaintenanceServices 414 (which may include applications that execute functions suchas RF Monitoring, Alarm functions, Performance Management, and so forth)which may include a northbound interface (NBI) to operations andmaintenance service. It should be understood that in other embodiments,these functions may be grouped together differently and/or together withadditional functions into any number of distinct cloud services.

In the DAS architecture 400, each of the provided cloud services 410,412, 414 are in communication with the Message and Data Bus 422, alongwith Web Backend Services 442, and the data plane 130 which comprisesthe shared database 330. Through the Message and Data Bus 322 everyfunctional entity of DAS cloud 120, including each of the applicationsused to provide the cloud services 410, 412 and 414, can access data andsend commands to any other entity coupled to bus 322. DAS architecture300 may also include multiple user plane entities 310 communicativelycoupled to DAS cloud 120 via a communications network 140.Communications between the cloud services 410, 412, 414 and the userplanes entities 310 may be based on IP protocols and/or secured by VPNtunnels and/or firewalls. In some embodiments, DAS cloud 120 in DASarchitecture 400 may also further comprise virtual Ethernet switch 324that switches Ethernet packets between the user plane entities 310 andthe cloud services 410, 412, 414 that interact with the user planeentities 210.

In the particular DAS architecture 400 shown in FIG. 4, there is nolonger any need for any correspondence between distinct DAS Controllersand respective user plane entities because the cloud services 410, 412,and 414 essentially function as a single centralized DAS Controller forall of the user plane entities 310. However, in some embodiments, sincecloud services 410, 412, 414 may be configured to recognize logical userplanes which may comprise the union of two or more of the user planes310, a subdivision of any one or more of the user planes 310, orcombinations thereof. In the same manner as discussed above, sharing ofDAS system data in DAS cloud 120 across all cloud services may beachieved by sharing common data stored in the shared database 330 and/orby using the same web backend 342 and a web frontend (i.e., a WWWclient) 344 for user access. Storage of the database tables used by thecloud services 410, 412, 414 in the common data plane 130 with commonaccess to shared database 330 ensures the data consistency betweenapplications and ensures that updates to data made by one cloud service410, 412, 414 is immediately available to the others. The same access tothe shared database 330 may be selectively afforded to any componentcoupled to Message and Data Bus 322.

An advantage of Cloud Services as provided by DAS architecture 400 isthat DAS Functions traditionally provided by separate DAS controllerscan be shared between DAS sites while functional and structuralredundancies can be removed. Further the DAS Cloud Services can saveresources and be scaled to the needs. For instance, the Planning andConfiguration Services 410 as well as DAS Control Plane Services 412 areprocesses that typically are only used at the time of a DASinstallation. Accordingly, such services may be suspended during normalsteady state operation to conserve processing resources.

Example Embodiments

Example 1 includes a distributed antenna system (DAS), the systemcomprising: at least one master unit configured to receive a basestation downlink radio frequency signal and to transmit a base stationuplink radio frequency signal; at least one remote antenna unit that iscommunicatively coupled to the at least one master unit, the remoteantenna unit comprising a power amplifier and configured to radiate aremote downlink radio frequency signal from at least one antennaassociated with the remote antenna unit, the remote antenna unit furtherconfigured to receive a remote uplink radio frequency signal from atleast one antenna associated with the remote antenna unit; at least afirst user plane comprising uplink circuity and downlink circuity,wherein the uplink circuity forwards uplink radio frequency traffic fromthe least one remote antenna unit to the at least one master unit,wherein the base station uplink radio frequency signal at least in partcomprises the uplink radio frequency traffic, wherein the downlinkcircuity forwards downlink radio frequency traffic from the least onemaster unit to the at least one remote antenna unit, wherein the basestation downlink radio frequency signal at least in part comprises thedownlink radio frequency traffic; wherein the first user plane is incommunication with a control plane via a network, the first user planefurther comprising a high level protocol interface abstraction layer,wherein the control plane communicates to the first user plane, via thehigh level protocol interface abstraction layer, non-hardware specificcommands and data that configure operation of the first user plane,wherein the first user plane processes and forwards the uplink anddownlink radio frequency traffic based on configuration commandsreceived from the control plane.

Example 2 includes the system of example 1, wherein the network iscommunicatively coupled with a DAS cloud computing network comprising atleast one network node, wherein the control plane comprises one or morecontrol plane applications executed by the at least one network node ofthe DAS cloud computing network.

Example 3 includes the system of example 2, wherein the DAS cloudcomputing network further comprises a data plane in communication withthe control plane, the data plane comprising at least network node thatincludes a shared database.

Example 4 includes the system of any of examples 2-3, wherein thecontrol plane comprises DAS Control Plane Services dedicated tocontrolling the first user plane.

Example 5 includes the system of any of examples 1-4, wherein the firstuser plane is logically divided into a plurality of multiple logicaluser planes, wherein each of the multiple logical user planes processand forward the uplink and downlink radio frequency traffic based onindependent configurations received from the control plane.

Example 6 includes the system of any of examples 1-5, furthercomprising: at least a second user plane, wherein the second user planeis in communication with the control plane via the network, the seconduser plane further comprising a high level protocol interfaceabstraction layer, wherein the control plane sends non-hardware specificcommands and data that configure operation of the second user plane,wherein the second user plane processes and forwards a second uplinkradio frequency traffic and second downlink radio frequency trafficbased on configuration commands received from the control plane.

Example 7 includes the system of any of examples 1-6, wherein the firstuser plane is combined with another user plane of another distributedantenna system to form a logical user plane, wherein the control planesends non-hardware specific commands and data that configure operationof the logical user plane.

Example 8 includes the system of any of examples 1-7, wherein the firstuser plane transmits alarms to the control plane over the network usingthe high level protocol interface abstraction layer.

Example 9 includes the system of any of examples 1-8, wherein inresponse to the configuration commands received from the control plane,the first user plane adjusts RF signal levels of one or both of theuplink radio frequency traffic and the downlink radio frequency traffic.

Example 10 includes the system of any of examples 1-9, wherein a highlevel protocol interface abstraction layer translates configurationcommands received from the control plane into DAS hardware specificinstructions compatible with the uplink circuity and downlink circuity.

Example 11 includes the system of any of examples 1-10, wherein thefirst user plane transports one or both of analog uplink and downlinkradio frequency traffic signals or digital uplink and downlink radiofrequency traffic signals.

Example 12 includes a distributed antenna system (DAS) architecture, theDAS architecture comprising: a DAS cloud computing network; a firstdistributed antenna system comprising at least a first user plane,wherein the first user plane includes uplink circuity and downlinkcircuity, wherein the uplink circuity forwards uplink radio frequencytraffic from at least one remote antenna unit of the first distributedantenna system to at least one master unit of the first distributedantenna system, wherein the downlink circuity forwards downlink radiofrequency traffic from the least one master unit to the at least oneremote antenna unit; wherein the DAS cloud computing network comprises acontrol plane in communication with the first user plane of the firstdistributed antenna system through a network; wherein the first userplane comprises a high level protocol interface abstraction layercoupled to the network and processes and forwards the uplink anddownlink radio frequency traffic based on configuration commandsreceived from the control plane via the high level protocol interfaceabstraction layer.

Example 13 includes the DAS architecture of example 12, wherein a highlevel protocol interface abstraction layer translates configurationcommands received from the control plane into DAS hardware specificinstructions compatible with the uplink circuity and downlink circuity.

Example 14 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 12-13,wherein the control plane comprises one or more control planeapplications executed by at least one network node of the DAS cloudcomputing network, wherein the configuration commands to the first userplane are generated by the one or more control plane applications.

Example 15 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 12-14,wherein the control plane comprises a plurality of virtual machinesexecuted by at least one network node of the DAS cloud computingnetwork, wherein the configuration commands to the first user plane aregenerated by the plurality of virtual machines.

Example 16 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 12-15,wherein the DAS cloud computing network further comprises a data planein communication with the control plane, the data plane comprising atleast one network node or a database virtual machine that includes ashared database.

Example 17 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 12-16,wherein the DAS cloud computing network further comprises: a pluralityof virtual machines; a data plane comprising a shared database; amessage and data bus, wherein the plurality of virtual machines and theshared database are communicatively coupled to each other over themessage and data bus; wherein the plurality of virtual machinescomprises at least one DAS Controller Virtual Machine associated withthe first user plane, wherein the at least one DAS Controller VirtualMachine is communicatively coupled to the first user plane via the highlevel protocol interface abstraction layer.

Example 18 includes the DAS architecture of example 17, wherein the DAScloud computing network further comprises a web backend server coupledto the message and data bus, wherein the web backend server serves webpages providing a common user interface to access applications providedby each of the plurality of virtual machines.

Example 19 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 17-18,wherein the plurality of virtual machines further comprises a systemconfiguration virtual machine, wherein the system configuration virtualmachine manages configuration of the DAS cloud computing network.

Example 20 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 17-19,wherein the plurality of virtual machines further comprises a networkelement management virtual machine that includes a northbound interfaceto an operations and maintenance service.

Example 21 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 17-20,wherein the plurality of virtual machines has common access to theshared database.

Example 22 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 17-21,wherein the plurality of virtual machines comprises a second DASController Virtual Machine associated with a second user plane, whereinthe second DAS Controller Virtual Machine is communicatively coupled tothe second user plane via the high level protocol interface abstractionlayer.

Example 23 includes the DAS architecture of example 22, wherein thesecond user plane is an element of the first distributed antenna system.

Example 24 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 22-23,further comprising a second distributed antenna system that comprisesthe second user plane.

Example 25 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 12-24,wherein the DAS cloud computing network further comprises: a pluralityof DAS cloud service applications executed by one or more network nodesof the DAS cloud computing network; a data plane comprising a shareddatabase; a message and data bus, wherein the plurality of DAS cloudservice applications and the shared database are communicatively coupledto each other over the message and data bus.

Example 26 includes the DAS architecture of example 25, wherein theplurality of DAS cloud service applications comprises an operations andmaintenance service in communication with the first user plane, whereinthe operations and maintenance service is communicatively coupled to thefirst user plane via control plane and the high level protocol interfaceabstraction layer; wherein the plurality of DAS cloud serviceapplications further comprises a network configuration service incommunication with the first user plane, wherein the networkconfiguration service is communicatively coupled to the first user planevia the control plane and the high level protocol interface abstractionlayer; wherein the plurality of DAS cloud service applications furthercomprises a Web backend service in communication with the first userplane, wherein the Web backend service is communicatively coupled to thefirst user plane via the control plane and the high level protocolinterface abstraction layer.

Example 27 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 25-26,wherein the DAS cloud service applications have common access to theshared database.

Example 28 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 25-27,wherein the operations and maintenance service includes a northboundinterface.

Example 29 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 17-28,wherein the DAS cloud computing network further comprises a web backendserver coupled to the message and data bus, wherein the web backendserver serves web pages providing a common user interface to accessapplications provided by each of the DAS cloud service applications.

Example 30 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 17-29,further comprising a second user plane coupled to the DAS cloudcomputing network over the network, wherein the plurality of DAS cloudservice applications are communicatively coupled to the second userplane via a second high level protocol interface abstraction layer.

Example 31 includes the DAS architecture of example 30, wherein thesecond user plane is an element of the first distributed antenna system.

Example 32 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 30-31,further comprising a second distributed antenna system that comprisesthe second user plane.

Example 33 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 30-32,wherein first user plane and the second user plane are defined withinthe plurality of DAS cloud service applications as a single logical userplane, wherein the control plane sends non-hardware specific commandsand data to the first user plane and the second user plane thatconfigure operation of the logical user plane.

Example 34 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 12-33,wherein the first user plane is logically divided into a plurality ofmultiple logical user planes, wherein each of the multiple logical userplanes process and forward the uplink and downlink radio frequencytraffic based on independent configurations received from the controlplane.

Example 35 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 12-34,wherein the first user plane transmits alarms to the control plane overthe network using the high level protocol interface abstraction layer.

Example 36 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 12-35,wherein in response to the configuration commands received from thecontrol plane, the first user plane adjusts RF signal levels of one orboth of the uplink radio frequency traffic and the downlink radiofrequency traffic.

Example 37 includes the DAS architecture of any of examples 12-36,wherein the first user plane transports one or both of analog uplink anddownlink radio frequency traffic signals or digital uplink and downlinkradio frequency traffic signals.

In various alternative embodiments, system and/or device elements,method steps, or example implementations described throughout thisdisclosure (such as any of the master units, remote antenna units,expansion units, controllers, circuitry, user planes, control planes,data planes, high level protocol interfaces, cloud networks, virtualmachines, switches, cloud services, web backend servers or frontendclient, or sub-parts of any thereof, for example) may be implemented atleast in part using one or more computer systems, field programmablegate arrays (FPGAs), or similar devices comprising a processor coupledto a memory and executing code to realize those elements, processes, orexamples, said code stored on a non-transient hardware data storagedevice. Therefore other embodiments of the present disclosure mayinclude elements comprising program instructions resident on computerreadable media which when implemented by such computer systems, enablethem to implement the embodiments described herein. As used herein, theterm “computer readable media” refers to tangible memory storage deviceshaving non-transient physical forms. Such non-transient physical formsmay include computer memory devices, such as but not limited to punchcards, magnetic disk or tape, any optical data storage system, flashread only memory (ROM), non-volatile ROM, programmable ROM (PROM),erasable-programmable ROM (E-PROM), random access memory (RAM), or anyother form of permanent, semi-permanent, or temporary memory storagesystem or device having a physical, tangible form. Program instructionsinclude, but are not limited to computer-executable instructionsexecuted by computer system processors and hardware descriptionlanguages such as Very High Speed Integrated Circuit (VHSIC) HardwareDescription Language (VHDL).

It should be appreciated that other network architectures may beimplemented that still functionally operate in the same manner asdescribed in any of the embodiments described herein. It should also beunderstood that for any of the embodiments described herein, while thecommunication links connecting master units and remote antenna units maycomprise optical fiber, in other embodiments other wired or wirelesscommunication links, or combinations thereof, may be utilized insteadof, or in combination with, optical fiber communication links.

As used herein, DAS related terms such as “master unit”, “remote unit”,“remote antenna unit”, “expansion unit”, “extension unit”, “controlunit” and “controller” refer to hardware elements that would beimmediately recognized and understood by those of skill in the art ofwireless communications and are not used herein as nonce words or nonceterms for the purpose of invoking 35 USC 112(f).

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the artthat any arrangement, which is calculated to achieve the same purpose,may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This applicationis intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the presentedembodiments. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that embodiments belimited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A distributed antenna system (DAS), the systemcomprising: at least one master unit configured to receive a basestation downlink radio frequency signal and to transmit a base stationuplink radio frequency signal; at least one remote antenna unit that iscommunicatively coupled to the at least one master unit, the remoteantenna unit comprising a power amplifier and configured to radiate aremote downlink radio frequency signal from at least one antennaassociated with the remote antenna unit, the remote antenna unit furtherconfigured to receive a remote uplink radio frequency signal from atleast one antenna associated with the remote antenna unit; at least afirst user plane comprising uplink circuity and downlink circuity,wherein the uplink circuity forwards uplink radio frequency traffic fromthe least one remote antenna unit to the at least one master unit,wherein the base station uplink radio frequency signal at least in partcomprises the uplink radio frequency traffic, wherein the downlinkcircuity forwards downlink radio frequency traffic from the least onemaster unit to the at least one remote antenna unit, wherein the basestation downlink radio frequency signal at least in part comprises thedownlink radio frequency traffic; wherein the first user plane is incommunication with a control plane via a network, the first user planefurther comprising a high level protocol interface abstraction layer,wherein the control plane communicates to the first user plane, via thehigh level protocol interface abstraction layer, non-hardware specificcommands and data that configure operation of the first user plane,wherein the first user plane processes and forwards the uplink anddownlink radio frequency traffic based on configuration commandsreceived from the control plane.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein thenetwork is communicatively coupled with a DAS cloud computing networkcomprising at least one network node, wherein the control planecomprises one or more control plane applications executed by the atleast one network node of the DAS cloud computing network.
 3. The systemof claim 2, wherein the DAS cloud computing network further comprises adata plane in communication with the control plane, the data planecomprising at least network node that includes a shared database.
 4. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the control plane comprises DAS Control PlaneServices dedicated to controlling the first user plane.
 5. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the first user plane is logically divided into aplurality of multiple logical user planes, wherein each of the multiplelogical user planes process and forward the uplink and downlink radiofrequency traffic based on independent configurations received from thecontrol plane.
 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising: at least asecond user plane, wherein the second user plane is in communicationwith the control plane via the network, the second user plane furthercomprising a high level protocol interface abstraction layer, whereinthe control plane sends non-hardware specific commands and data thatconfigure operation of the second user plane, wherein the second userplane processes and forwards a second uplink radio frequency traffic andsecond downlink radio frequency traffic based on configuration commandsreceived from the control plane.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein thefirst user plane is combined with another user plane of anotherdistributed antenna system to form a logical user plane, wherein thecontrol plane sends non-hardware specific commands and data thatconfigure operation of the logical user plane.
 8. The system of claim 1,wherein the first user plane transmits alarms to the control plane overthe network using the high level protocol interface abstraction layer.9. The system of claim 1, wherein in response to the configurationcommands received from the control plane, the first user plane adjustsRF signal levels of one or both of the uplink radio frequency trafficand the downlink radio frequency traffic.
 10. The system of claim 1,wherein a high level protocol interface abstraction layer translatesconfiguration commands received from the control plane into DAS hardwarespecific instructions compatible with the uplink circuity and downlinkcircuity.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user planetransports one or both of analog uplink and downlink radio frequencytraffic signals or digital uplink and downlink radio frequency trafficsignals.
 12. A distributed antenna system (DAS) architecture, the DASarchitecture comprising: a DAS cloud computing network; a firstdistributed antenna system comprising at least a first user plane,wherein the first user plane includes uplink circuity and downlinkcircuity, wherein the uplink circuity forwards uplink radio frequencytraffic from at least one remote antenna unit of the first distributedantenna system to at least one master unit of the first distributedantenna system, wherein the downlink circuity forwards downlink radiofrequency traffic from the least one master unit to the at least oneremote antenna unit; wherein the DAS cloud computing network comprises acontrol plane in communication with the first user plane of the firstdistributed antenna system through a network; wherein the first userplane comprises a high level protocol interface abstraction layercoupled to the network and processes and forwards the uplink anddownlink radio frequency traffic based on configuration commandsreceived from the control plane via the high level protocol interfaceabstraction layer.
 13. The DAS architecture of claim 12, wherein a highlevel protocol interface abstraction layer translates configurationcommands received from the control plane into DAS hardware specificinstructions compatible with the uplink circuity and downlink circuity.14. The DAS architecture of claim 12, wherein the control planecomprises one or more control plane applications executed by at leastone network node of the DAS cloud computing network, wherein theconfiguration commands to the first user plane are generated by the oneor more control plane applications.
 15. The DAS architecture of claim12, wherein the control plane comprises a plurality of virtual machinesexecuted by at least one network node of the DAS cloud computingnetwork, wherein the configuration commands to the first user plane aregenerated by the plurality of virtual machines.
 16. The DAS architectureof claim 12, wherein the DAS cloud computing network further comprises adata plane in communication with the control plane, the data planecomprising at least one network node or a database virtual machine thatincludes a shared database.
 17. The DAS architecture of claim 12,wherein the DAS cloud computing network further comprises: a pluralityof virtual machines; a data plane comprising a shared database; amessage and data bus, wherein the plurality of virtual machines and theshared database are communicatively coupled to each other over themessage and data bus; wherein the plurality of virtual machinescomprises at least one DAS Controller Virtual Machine associated withthe first user plane, wherein the at least one DAS Controller VirtualMachine is communicatively coupled to the first user plane via the highlevel protocol interface abstraction layer.
 18. The DAS architecture ofclaim 17, wherein the DAS cloud computing network further comprises aweb backend server coupled to the message and data bus, wherein the webbackend server serves web pages providing a common user interface toaccess applications provided by each of the plurality of virtualmachines.
 19. The DAS architecture of claim 17, wherein the plurality ofvirtual machines further comprises a system configuration virtualmachine, wherein the system configuration virtual machine managesconfiguration of the DAS cloud computing network.
 20. The DASarchitecture of claim 17, wherein the plurality of virtual machinesfurther comprises a network element management virtual machine thatincludes a northbound interface to an operations and maintenanceservice.
 21. The DAS architecture of claim 17, wherein the plurality ofvirtual machines has common access to the shared database.
 22. The DASarchitecture of claim 17, wherein the plurality of virtual machinescomprises a second DAS Controller Virtual Machine associated with asecond user plane, wherein the second DAS Controller Virtual Machine iscommunicatively coupled to the second user plane via the high levelprotocol interface abstraction layer.
 23. The DAS architecture of claim22, wherein the second user plane is an element of the first distributedantenna system.
 24. The DAS architecture of claim 22, further comprisinga second distributed antenna system that comprises the second userplane.
 25. The DAS architecture of claim 12, wherein the DAS cloudcomputing network further comprises: a plurality of DAS cloud serviceapplications executed by one or more network nodes of the DAS cloudcomputing network; a data plane comprising a shared database; a messageand data bus, wherein the plurality of DAS cloud service applicationsand the shared database are communicatively coupled to each other overthe message and data bus.
 26. The DAS architecture of claim 25, whereinthe plurality of DAS cloud service applications comprises an operationsand maintenance service in communication with the first user plane,wherein the operations and maintenance service is communicativelycoupled to the first user plane via control plane and the high levelprotocol interface abstraction layer; wherein the plurality of DAS cloudservice applications further comprises a network configuration servicein communication with the first user plane, wherein the networkconfiguration service is communicatively coupled to the first user planevia the control plane and the high level protocol interface abstractionlayer; wherein the plurality of DAS cloud service applications furthercomprises a Web backend service in communication with the first userplane, wherein the Web backend service is communicatively coupled to thefirst user plane via the control plane and the high level protocolinterface abstraction layer.
 27. The DAS architecture of claim 25,wherein the DAS cloud service applications have common access to theshared database.
 28. The DAS architecture of claim 25, wherein theoperations and maintenance service includes a northbound interface. 29.The DAS architecture of claim 17, wherein the DAS cloud computingnetwork further comprises a web backend server coupled to the messageand data bus, wherein the web backend server serves web pages providinga common user interface to access applications provided by each of theDAS cloud service applications.
 30. The DAS architecture of claim 17,further comprising a second user plane coupled to the DAS cloudcomputing network over the network, wherein the plurality of DAS cloudservice applications are communicatively coupled to the second userplane via a second high level protocol interface abstraction layer. 31.The DAS architecture of claim 30, wherein the second user plane is anelement of the first distributed antenna system.
 32. The DASarchitecture of claim 30, further comprising a second distributedantenna system that comprises the second user plane.
 33. The DASarchitecture of claim 30, wherein first user plane and the second userplane are defined within the plurality of DAS cloud service applicationsas a single logical user plane, wherein the control plane sendsnon-hardware specific commands and data to the first user plane and thesecond user plane that configure operation of the logical user plane.34. The DAS architecture of claim 12, wherein the first user plane islogically divided into a plurality of multiple logical user planes,wherein each of the multiple logical user planes process and forward theuplink and downlink radio frequency traffic based on independentconfigurations received from the control plane.
 35. The DAS architectureof claim 12, wherein the first user plane transmits alarms to thecontrol plane over the network using the high level protocol interfaceabstraction layer.
 36. The DAS architecture of claim 12, wherein inresponse to the configuration commands received from the control plane,the first user plane adjusts RF signal levels of one or both of theuplink radio frequency traffic and the downlink radio frequency traffic.37. The DAS architecture of claim 12, wherein the first user planetransports one or both of analog uplink and downlink radio frequencytraffic signals or digital uplink and downlink radio frequency trafficsignals.